Edyta Gorniak

by David Peter WesolowskiAmongst the best-known names in the Polish music business, Edyta Gorniak was discovered on a TV talent quest show back in 1989. She began her career the following year as a stage singer. Strutting her stuff at several of Warsaw's top venues, such as Metro and Brel, she quit the circuit in 1994 and crossed over into the pop industry. That same year, she flew to Dublin, Ireland, to represent Poland in the Eurovision song contest. Her rendition of the song "To Nie Ja" (That's Not Me) went down a treat at the festival and snared a runner-up spot. It also stirred plenty of interest in her talent, both at home and abroad, and paved the way for the release of her debut album in 1995. The work, titled Dotyk, included such tunes as "To Nie Ja," "Dotyk," and "Jestem Kobieta" (I'm a Woman) and came out amidst much fanfare in Poland. Gorniak then performed at the Sopot Music Festival and was recruited to be on the soundtrack to the Walt Disney cartoon movie Pocahontas. The following year, she made waves at the prestigious Fryderyk Music Awards (named after Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin) by winning first prizes for the Best Film Clip and Best Debut. She also sang the tune "Walc Embarras" on Irena Santor's album, Duety (Duets). With her eye on foreign markets, Gorniak then decided to release a record in English -- something rarely done by top Polish artists at that time. Produced by Christopher Neil, the self-titled album appeared at the end of 1997 and featured such songs as "When You Come Back to Me" and "Miles and Miles Away." On its second release, the album also included a duet with José Carreras, "Hope For Us." During the next couple of years, Gorniak spent much of her time performing at a plethora of concerts, festivals, and charity events. In 1999, she decided to release the Edyta Gorniak Live '99 album, packing her most popular tunes to date.